Four Days Out of Ten in Honam... Is Prime Minister Kim Minseok Warming Up for Party Leadership Bid?

by Son Seonhee

Published 17 Apr.2026 10:59(KST)

As Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visits to the Honam region have increased, there is growing speculation that he has begun preparations ahead of the Democratic Party's national convention scheduled for August. Although Prime Minister Kim has refrained from commenting on whether he will run for party leader, he is considered one of the leading candidates.

Prime Minister Kim Minseok visited Geodo Island in Yeosu on the 16th to check the preparation status of the 2026 Yeosu World Island Expo. 2026.4.16 Yonhap News

Starting with a visit to Jangseong, South Jeolla Province, on April 4, Prime Minister Kim has spent a total of seven days in the Honam region so far this month. That amounts to nearly four out of every ten days. Excluding the periods he spent at his primary offices in Seoul and Sejong, he has spent most of his remaining time in Honam. Notably, he has consistently arranged events on weekends to engage directly with citizens. On April 5, he attended a marathon event at Chonnam National University in Gwangju and an Easter service at a local church. On April 11, he visited the opening ceremony of a festival in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. In the afternoon of the previous day, he canceled his originally scheduled plans to visit Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, where he checked the preparation progress for the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo. Prime Minister Kim has also stated that he plans to visit again next week.

The reason for the heightened attention to Prime Minister Kim's visits to Honam is because the region is considered a political stronghold for the Democratic Party. According to a ruling party official, "Ultimately, Honam is the key battleground in the leadership contest. In the past, even after being cut off from candidacy in the general election, former Party Leader Jeong Cheong-rae remained in the region for an extended period to support the campaign, which helped boost his support base." This suggests that, as Jeong Cheong-rae’s bid for re-election draws attention, Prime Minister Kim also cannot ignore the importance of support from Honam voters.

Meanwhile, if Prime Minister Kim decides to run for party leadership, he is expected to resign from his post shortly after the June 3 local elections, which mark the 9th nationwide simultaneous local elections. As the administration led by Lee Jae-myung enters its second year, potential candidates being discussed as successors to the prime minister include Kang Hoon-sik, Chief Presidential Secretary, former lawmaker Song Young-gil, and National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik.